You should quickly find interior design equipment on today’s market – you just need to understand where to shop. Have a scan on 1 or 2 sites and see what you will find. For those who undertake a number of lookups in the search engines you’ll more than likely be faced with a variety of offers and savings which can be worth it.

Whatever you are searching for on-line, you should have no difficulties finding what you long for. You will discover a lot of different choices available therefore you should never have any problem in the least finding good bargains which are adequate for your needs. You’ll have to take your time while you’re surfing around the net to guarantee that you are informed regarding all kinds of things on the current market.

There are plenty of selections to select from and you’ll believe it is tough to make a decision. Well, in the event that’s the case then you definitely ought to keep reading to discover ways to go for the appropriate products for your wants. Additionally, you will need to establish your self a financial spending plan so that you do not overspend and waste money on a offer that’s not more than worth it.

The very first thing you should think of is the purchase you are intending on. This will be a critical part of your respective choices so you should definitely fully grasp what you will be looking for before you purchase anything at all or accept anything. It is critical you’re made tuned in to almost everything offered on today’s market so that you can make smart conclusions.

You will then need to take into account the type of interior design equipment available on today’s market and be diligent to discover what choices are best suited to your wishes. It really is fairly trouble-free to acquire what you are shopping for when you hit the internet and have a good look into it.

If you have a good browse around via the web you might find that there are many possibilities. Have a very good read and do some lookups on Google to find out what comes up. You will probably be very impressed at the amount of options for an extremely straightforward investment.

Call it online interior design, e-Decorating, virtual room design, or room design online. Whatever the spin, it all points to a cutting-edge trend in home decorating that translates into affordable interior design for you.

With the deluge of DIY shelter magazines, home-decorating TV, and easy online access to home furnishings, it was only a matter of time before the interior design industry would be forced to evolve as well. Enter e-Decorating, a budget-friendly, flat-fee based online interior design alternative to traditional, on-site interior design services.

Wondering how e-Decorating works? Here’s how face-to-face and web-based compare:

Style and Budget

* An on-site designer helps you define your needs, preferences and budget through on-site consultations. An online designer does the same through a questionnaire, phone consultations and in some cases, services such as Skype.

Inventory, Measuring and Photography *

An on-site designer inventories, measures and photographs your space. An online designer guides you in conducting your own inventory, measuring and photography, which you then submit, typically via e-mail.

Design Concept

* An on-site designer creates your room’s design concept, which includes a space plan, color palette and product recommendations. An online designer does the same.

Architectural Drawings

* An on-site designer prepares interior architectural drawings for the construction of the space and or built-ins. An online designer typically does not prepare architectural drawings that require precise on-site measuring.

Purchasing and Installation

* An on-site designer implements and coordinates the purchasing and installation process, with bespoke, antique and/or custom To-The-Trade items not available to the general public. An online designer guides you in implementing the purchasing and installation of products from well-established online-retailers and, in some cases, purchases To-The-Trade items directly for you.

Timeline

* An on-site designer sets the pace for the purchasing and installation process. An online designer allows you to take your project at your own pace, implementing your purchasing and installation as your budget and time allow.

Pricing

* An on-site designer typically requires a retainer ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 and charges actual project fees at either a flat or hourly rate based on $120 – $200/hour. An online designer charges a flat fee ranging from $250 – $1,000 for a complete room design.

There you have it. If you’re on a slim budget, don’t mind doing a little leg-work, and like initiating new projects on your own, consider e-Decorating services. If you have bundles to burn, need precisely dimensioned architectural drawings, and prefer to have someone else do all the leg-work for you, go face-to-face. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.

“Do you do Curtains & Cushions?” As a professional Interior Designer that’s the phone call we dread to receive!

It happens more than you may think; I then have to go on to explain (without sounding patronising) what this person really needs is an Interior Decorator, this will then no doubt follow-on with me having to further explain what the differences are between the two disciplines and try to steer them in an appropriate direction.

I don’t blame these people for getting the two mixed up; the general public have been feed hours and hour of TV “instant” make-over programmes and continuous glossy magazine features all under the misleading label of Interior Design. Also this has prompted those in the Interior Decoration and Soft Furnishing business to elevate their tile to Interior Designers; again I don’t blame them for doing this, it makes good business sense to up sell yourself. But the lines have become blurred as to what these two very different services offer – there is a market for the two approaches, but where confusion resides with the customer this has to be a bad thing!

So here with this Home Interiors – Client’s Guide – series of articles I will address the key aspects for client’s that have a Interior Design project in mind as to how they should go about searching for a Designer, what to look for, how they work and charge, how to get the best out of them and how a project gets off the ground to become a finished built reality.

ABOUT HOME INTERIOR DESIGN

Home Interior Design is not to be confused with Home Interior Decoration, as this tends to be only a skin-deep treatment to give a style change or “make-over” to a property. Home/Residential/Domestic Interior Design (whatever one may call it) is a much more fundamental approach to the way you live in a property and how a building can be made to work for the individual owners needs. This will not be just a coat of paint (some new curtains and cushions) it is likely to start with a in-depth rethink at how the property is planned and may involve some considerable changes put in place before one even thinks of decorations.

Interior Designers who specialize in Home Design can be viewed as Interior Architects, and their abilities should cover all aspects of building and architectural work to a property included minor/major structural alterations and building extensions etc. They will go on to cover all the “decoration” elements such as colours, finishes and furnishings, but this is not necessarily the starting point for a project. Kitchens, Bathrooms, Staircases etc are some of the core planning elements that can structurally and technically change a buildings layout; the flow and shape of a property can change dramatically when approaching these areas.

All the technical services that make up an Interior Design project will be undertaken by the Designer; Electrics, Lighting, Plumbing, Heating and Ventilation etc, all are fundamental that need to be design-in at the early stages of a scheme, even if it is just the principles of how these may work. It is becoming even more important these days with the opportunity for client to add-in to their project energy efficiency solutions for the whole building.

Many Clients only have a very basic idea or framework of what they wish from a project; it is however the Designers role to gain that information and drawer out of the Client the full details of their requirements, this then forming the project brief. This can be a very personal experience with the Designer asking questions on how you live now and changes you wish to make to your life style. Be as open as you can as this forms an important foundation for any new design, remember that the Designer is designing for you and not for them, so they need to know how YOU tick!

For most Clients they really enjoy this consultation, as this may be the first time that they have truly thought about their life style and what they really need from the project, apart from a floor, walls and ceiling. A good Designer will have the talents of a “pick pocket”, you will not know that so much information has been taken from you until you see the first concept design, and then you will realise that the smallest details have been included that reflects you and your life style.

HOW DO YOU FIND A GOOD DESIGNER

Personal recommendations are always good, but remember, the Designer has designed for the person who gave you the recommendation, so even if their project is not to your taste this does not necessarily mean that the Designer cannot design to your taste. If they were satisfied that the Designer produced a sound creative solution that matched their brief, then this Designer would more than likely be able to satisfy your project requirements.

Web Sites are a good way of looking at a Designers portfolio of work without making direct contact. Use the search engines and directories to track Designers that are within the broad area to where you live. It is no good having a Designer from Scotland if you live in London, and vice a verse, so aim relatively local of around a 50 mile search radius! Also be aware of companies that call themselves Interior Designers, but are really Home Furnishing companies and they are only really interested in selling from their shop or showroom. Offers of “free design service” will always have a sales agenda behind it. A true Design Consultant will be totally independent of any affiliated retail business and will use the global market to source what is right for your project, no commission or incentives involved.

Professional Bodies such as The Chartered Society of Designers have registers of designers in your area and can be contacted for a list. They also have a web site at you could visit. The Chartered Society of Designers is a body that vets individual designers to make sure they meet a professional standard, it starts with a student quantification “Diploma Member” and then “Member” (MCSD), and the highest level is “Fellow” (FCSD) and you should look for these qualifications or similar from your Designer.

I hope this has given you an insight into the world of Home Interior Design and if you are considering employing a designer is of help as to how to start to make a selection. Part of that selection process will be that first (no obligation) meeting with them; what can you expect to come out of this? Look out for the next article in this series by Chris Page.